Resume samples for college students

Samples on how to write an effective entry-level resume

Graduating is supposed to be an exciting moment for many college students who trudged through four years of writing papers, creating projects and cramming for exams, but your time writing isn’t over yet; follow our resume samples for college students to lessen the burden. Many students feel an overwhelming anxiety to the question “what now?” Many of these recent graduates can find solace in the existence of entry level positions: openings where professional experience is not necessary, where graduates can get their foot-in-the-door with companies that spark their interest, regardless of experience. Download our entry-level resume samples for reference.

Before one starts disseminating resumes, one should take a look at College New’s resume samples for college students. These entry-level resume samples should be treated a little differently than those of seasoned professionals. As you look at our resume samples for college students to polish your own, keep these basic concepts in mind.

1. The Objective Statement

An objective statement is a brief sentence that outlines the applicant’s professional accomplishments and aspirations. In resume samples for college students, you will find this statement near the top and is an integral part of the resume that displays the experiences and skills the applicant wishes to emphasize.

In entry-level resume samples, you will find that the objective statement generally serves two purposes: to define the position the applicant desires and to display how they can help the company. The objective statement needs to be tweaked towards specific positions –you’re applying for this position for this reason because you can help the company in this way. The objective statement should be very detailed to the position you are seeking and should include the job title.

Avoid using statements about how you want to “grow” as a professional and are “seeking experience.” These are irrelevant phrases and are far too cliché. They are actually a hindrance. In our resume samples for college students you will see examples of experiences that can supplement the company’s goals, rather than using the company to benefit you personally. Take a look at our college entry-level resume samples to get a grasp on how to approach objective statements.

2. Education

In entry-level resume samples, you will typically find this section near the top, especially for recent graduates and typically includes five elements: name of the school, location, your major, (expected) date of graduation, GPA (only include if it’s above a 3.0/4.0) and any other academic honors.

3. Experience

If you are about to graduate or you walked recently, your probably thinking: “What if I don’t have a lot of relevant experience?” This is where looking at other resume samples for college students can be vital in thinking about how you are going to present yourself. This requires a bit of self-reflection and thinking outside the box. What about all those final projects that exemplify your ability to complete certain tasks? The advanced coursework? That one time you helped your friend edit his final project?

You want to avoid listing courses that you’ve taken that are not relevant to the position you are seeking.

Before you set your resume to stone, also remember that every resume you send out should be tailored to that specific position. Customization is key here, and employers will look upon resumes more favorably if it is tailored specifically towards them.

For an example of this, take a look at our College Resume Template article.

If you do not have any relevant professional experiences, then you should avoid listing your academic projects under “Experiences,” as that heading is usually reserved for internships, volunteer work, or paid positions. To emphasize your abilities, create a heading for “Relevant Projects” or “Skills,” which will include relevant coursework and your other skills.

If you completed an internship, then that should be first and foremost the experience to emphasize. Paid or unpaid – they both count as legitimate experiences in your field. If you graduate without these experiences and are still without a job in your field, then, by all means, apply for internships as well (take a look at our Internships for College Students section for more information). In resume samples for college students you will see that this is the first thing the applicants emphasize.

A mistake you will find in other entry-level resume samples is a hesitancy to communicate other work experience. These sections illuminate your work ethic and personality traits and should take up a relatively minor portion of your resume. Have you been paying the bills during your last two years at school by bartending? Simply stating this shows two things: you have a diverse set of experiences, and you have an ability to hang on to a job for an extended period of time. Many entry-level resume samples include these experiences because they showcase an applicant’s general work ethic. You want to highlight the skills and experiences from your previous jobs and make them relevant to the ones you are applying to. If this is done well, you will touch on the allure of hiring a young graduate, such as commitment, reliability, energy and a good working relationship.

4. Honors/Publications/Activities

This is another section to show off your exemplary skills and record of hard work, even though you don’t have years behind the wheel, you have, and shown, the ability to succeed. In most resume samples for college students, you will find these towards the bottom. Employers want to know that you will be successful for them, so illustrate your past achievements.

In looking at your own resume towards the dusk of your college experience, researching and extracting tips from resume samples for college students is an integral part of the process. Get your hands on as many entry-level resume samples as you can and see what works, what appeals to you, how do applicants emphasize things, what verbs are they using? Defining your resume with other resume samples for college students not only helps you articulate your own goals and experiences, but can also be the difference between jumpstarting your career or wallowing in post-graduate uncertainty.